


A Far Flung Light

by Swordaperson



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Adult Connie Maheswaran, Bad Future, F/F, F/M, Gen, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Time Travel For Angst and Profit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-04-27 07:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14420049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swordaperson/pseuds/Swordaperson
Summary: A messenger, shining with pink light has been sent from a dark future. She warns of a time in ten years, when Earth will be once again be conquered by Homeworld, the Crystal Gems have been shattered, and all hope has faded away.Now armed with this new knowledge, can Steven and the Gems prevent this dark future? Or is history set to repeat itself...





	1. The Pink Messenger [Pt1]

Steven went through his mental checklist one last time

“Got the letters, got the snacks, got the Game Guy…”

Steven envisioned each of the items inside his cheeseburger backpack in turn, before nodding to himself. His visits to Lars and the Off Colors had grown more frequent over the last few weeks. Steven was eager to help them get to Earth and he knew they were as well, even if the Off Colors’ excitement was tinged with apprehension as well.

It wasn’t helped that, seemingly every time he popped out of Lars’s head, their ship was having some kind of technical problem. While Lars and the Off Colors had proven themselves remarkably acquainted with the ship’s technology, they still had their limits and every problem slowed them down even more.

More than once Pearl or Peridot had accompanied Steven on his visits to Lars and the Off Colors. The two were far too eager to offer their technical talents to the silently awed crew of the Sun Incinerator. But he was going alone this time, only offering some supplies and encouragement to hopefully make the trip a little easier on them.

“Alright, Lion,” Steven said, walking over to the lightly dozing feline. “Ready to let me in?” Lion opened his eyes and yawned sleepily in response, forcing Steven to suppress a yawn in return.

“Ya heading out, dude?” Amethyst called over from her perch on the kitchen counter, where she was slowly emptying the contents of a bottle of vanilla extract into her mouth.

Steven nodded. “Yeah. I shouldn’t be gone too long. Just dropping some stuff off.” He patted his cheeseburger backpack before slipping it over his shoulders.

Amethyst began shaking the nearly empty bottle over her mouth, trying to get the last bits of the extract out. “A’ight. Don’t get stranded again or else we’ll hafta come find you.”

Steven laughed. He knew Amethyst meant it mostly as a joke, but there was still the edge of truth there. Ever since the jungle moon, Dad and the Gems had started taking Steven’s visits to Lars much more seriously, insisting he tell one of them when he was going and that he be back within a designated period of time.

Connie had told Steven that these were standard things that most parents and guardians had their kids do when they were out of the guardian’s supervision. That made sense, but it was still new to Steven, who grew up freely roaming in and around Beach City, visiting and talking to people as he felt inclined to. It chafed, a little.

Steven turned back to Lion, who now had his eyes open and focused. Steven petted him on the head, before taking a deep breath and holding it. He looked over his shoulder once more and waved at Amethyst, who waved back, and then proceeded to push his way into Lion’s mane.

Steven poked his head out from the pink grass, the airless-wind blowing across his face. He stood up, as best he could, his gaze moving over Lion’s sparsely leafed tree, still sheltering all the items his mother had left there, and drifted over to Lars’s tree. He took a few steps over to it-- and stopped. Something he’d spotted off to the side made him freeze.

Another tree.

It was on a hill, just like the others, but the tree itself was almost completely different. It was big, larger even than Lars’s tree. Its trunk was round and thick and its branches and leaves formed an almost perfect half-circle hat for the tree’s top. But its strangest feature was that, coming off its branches were what looked like other, smaller branches that stretched down and down, almost reaching the tree’s base.

_How… did this tree get here? I-- I haven’t used my tears on anyone else… I couldn’t have without knowing I did… Right?_

Steven moved a bit closer, the tree not looking any less strange or surprising. In fact, if it was possible, it looked even stranger. A closer look revealed darker patches covering about half of the tree’s trunk and limbs.

It was hard to tell at first given the pink hue of everything in Lion’s mane, but after a moment Steven realized what they were. Scorch marks, as if someone had taken a torch to the tree to try and burn it down. Or it had gotten caught in a forest fire, and the tree had been the only thing left standing.

Steven stared at the tree in wonder, for as long as he dared. His chest was beginning to tighten as his breath was running out. Taking only a moment to decide, Steven rushed towards the the mystery tree’s hill. With barely any hesitation, he dove into the pink grass.

He didn’t fall through instantly, like he did with Lion or Lars. He had to _push_ through the grass. It felt almost like grass portal was getting narrower as he went on. Chest burning, he struggled and pulled himself forward, before finally falling through into complete darkness and cold. He landed on his stomach, merciful air flooding his lungs.

No, it wasn’t _complete_ darkness. Steven could already see vague shapes and designs in front of him. It was dim, but his eyes would adjust.

“Who are you?!” The voice was fast and pointed, so much that Steven could almost feel an edge pressed against the back of his neck.

No… There was something _actually_ pressed into his neck.

Steven tried to get up again, but the voiced shouted again, “Don’t move!” The command echoed around and Steven obeyed, his heart racing even as he stayed deathly still.

“Who. Are. You.” The voice demanded again.

Steven’s throat tightened, but he pushed his answer past it. “S-Steven,” he said. “My name is Steven.”

There was a keen gasp as he felt the sharp edge remove itself from the back of his neck and heavy footsteps moving further away from him. His muscles loosened and he let go of a breath he hadn’t been aware he’d been holding. Steven rolled onto his back and instantly recognised where he was.

His eyes had adjusted enough that he could see the panes of glass that formed the walls, and the dome shaped ceiling above him. Littering the far wall were shattered remains Steven recognized right away. Hourglasses. All of varying sizes and styles, but all unmistakable for what they were.

“The Sea Shrine,” Steven gasped as he sat up.

But… that didn’t make any sense. The Sea Shrine had been flooded after they’d took the Hourglass. And Pearl had said that it wouldn’t reappear for one hundred years. So why was it here now?

But other, more immediate concerns presented themselves to Steven. Like the sword-wielding stranger he was now down here with. Who had to be pink, like Lars and Lion were. Steven had seen their tree and come through their hair. But _why_ were they pink? And how?

The stranger didn’t stop him as Steven got to his feet, performing one last cursory glance around him. The person had retreated to the other end of the hall, illuminated against the green-blue ocean on the other side of the glass wall. Quickly Steven’s eyes were adjusting to the semi-darkness.

He exited the hourglass room, cautiously padding towards the figure. He tugged on the strap of his backpack, but didn’t slow. As he got closer, he could hear the person making odd, pained noises--

It was dark, though not as dark as it had been when Steven first arrived. His eyes were adjusting well enough.

“Hello?” Steven called out as calmly as he could manage. “Are- are you okay?”

Steven drew closer and could begin to see the figure more clearly. Their back was to him. Steven noted their short, almost pixie cut hair, as well as their size. They were tall, taller than Pearl, and their broad shoulders were shaking--

“Hey! Are you crying?” Steven blurted out, not even realizing what he was saying.

The figure shuddered and let out another gasp. And a name.

“ _Steven._ ”

The sound of his own name caused Steven to stop in his tracks. Heart pounding in his ears, Steven spoke, “Do-- Do you know me?”

A sharp intake of air and the person was _laughing._ At least, in a sense. It was breathy and harsh sounding, as if the person was fighting off more tears.

“ _Of course_ you’re Steven,” the person said, ignoring Steven’s question. “My hair must be long enough now. And no one else can-”

The person, the _woman_ Steven was fairly certain, caught herself, flinching. Steven caught a better glimpse of her skin, and it was, as suspected, the same pink hue that Lars’s.

She was pink, just like he was.

Steven felt his hands clenched into fists, before releasing them. “Hey, I… don’t know who you are, but… are you trapped down here? How did you get down here?”

There was a silent pause, no more than a single beat, and the figure slowly turned around to face him. Steven gaped as she did. The woman reminded him a little of a soldier, but not a modern soldier. She instead looked like one from illustration from one of the novels Connie let him burrow. Thick leather clothing, tough looking boots, and armed with a sword at her side.

But what stood out most to Steven were the marks across the left side of her face, starting from about her ear and traveling down her face and neck.

Scars, but not any scars. Burn scars. Bad ones too, by the look of it.

The surprise must not have shown on Steven’s face or, if it had, the woman chose to ignore it. “What are you doing here, Steven?” Her voice didn’t have the same harshness or demand to it as before. It sounded _almost_ friendly. Though… there was still the barest of edge to her voice.

“Well,” Steven began to answer, “I was going into my lion’s magic mane and, um… I saw your tree. Like Lion has and my friend Lars does.”

“Of course, of course,” the woman shook her head. “I’m here now. So I have that connection _here_ too.”

Steven shifted on his feet. “Um, not to be rude or anything, but… who are you?”

The woman looked back at him. “That’s complicated. And a story I really only want to tell once.” A pause. “But for now, my name is Crystal.”

Steven blinked. “Okay. Crystal.” Just knowing the person’s name seemed to help him feel a little more at ease.

Crystal shook her head again. “Truthfully… I’m glad you’re here, Steven. I-” She cut herself off with another harsh laugh. “I’ve kind of screwed up. And I trapped myself here.”

“How did you trap yourself here?” Steven asked. “Did you… teleport somehow?”

“Again… complicated,” Crystal said, dodging the question. “But for now, just be assured that how I got here was a one way trip.”

“But _how_?” Steven pressed. “The Sea Shrine was supposed to be flooded for one hundred years. But… it’s not.”

Crystal looked at him evenly, before responding, “Because of this.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out what at first looked like a clear orb. But then, Steven saw what was inside it.

“The Hourglass!” he gasped. “But-- I destroyed that.”

“You did,” Crystal agreed. “But a new one was made. And… I guess it reacts to the Shrine same as the old. The place was still completely flooded when I first… arrived. But almost immediately, the water began to recede and drain.”

“Made a new-- Wait!” Steven interrupted himself, the realization dawning on him suddenly. “Are you saying that you’re-” his voice dropped to almost a whisper. “-from another time?”

Crystal looked at him, almost bemused, before smiling slightly. “Yeah. I guess you could say that.”

Steven could feel his heart beating again, though this time less from nervousness and more from excitement. More time travel! Though hopefully with no duplicates this time. And this time, the time traveling wasn’t Steven’s fault. Unless… another version of himself had done this.

He was going to ask as much, but Crystal spoke first. Pocketing the Hourglass again, she said, “No offense, but I _really_ want to get out of here. I’ve seen enough schools of fish and whales casually floating by to last a lifetime.” She folded her arms over her chest. “And I have things I need to do…”

“Oh. Right,” Steven said. His mind began to wonder with thought.

Taking Crystal back to the Temple seemed like the most obvious idea. But… was it a _good_ idea? He didn’t know. He still didn’t know who this person was really, other than that she was probably from another time, her name was Crystal, and she was pink. What if she was evil, or dangerous? What if she was trying to _infiltrate_?

But… she _was_ pink. So that meant-- even if it was from another time-- she had to know Steven. He was the only person who could pinkify someone. Well, him and his mom.

He gulped. That thought wasn’t a particularly pleasant one though, even as he reminded himself that if Crystal knew him, she probably came from a time _after_ his mom was gone. So his mother couldn’t be involved with her. Unless time travel was involved. Which… it was.

Steven was beginning to feel a little dizzy. He shook his head. “Okay,” he said. “I can get you out of here. And bring you to my home.”

Her face seemed to lighten a little, before resuming its more neutral expression. “That would be ideal. Thank you, Steven,” Crystal nodded. She swept her arm in front of herself. “Lead the way.”

Steven did so, turing and feeling his cheeseburger backpack press against him. His original plan, dropping the supplies off to Lars reemerged in his mind. He offered a silent apology to Lars as he began down the hall towards the warp pad, Crystal following him.

Once there, he stepped onto the pad and turned, seeing Crystal do the same. “Ready?” he asked. Crystal nodded and Steven activated the pad, whisking them away in the stream.

The light stung Steven’s eyes a bit, causing him to rub them. It was certainly brighter then in the Shrine. He blinked and looked up at Crystal to ask--

He gasped loudly, his eyes growing wide in shock as he covered his mouth with his hands. “ _Connie_!” he squeaked from in between his hands.

Crystal jumped, as if she’d been slapped and her face began to blush an even deeper pink. She looked away from Steven, staring into the warp stream ahead of her. “I told you, my name is Crystal,” she said simply.

But no, there was no mistaking it now that Steven was able to see her in more proper lighting. Connie’s cute nose, bright eyes, the same sheen in her hair… Steven could see all those features on Crystal too. Albeit older, shaded pink and covered in a thick layer of grime and dirt. And the burn scars…

The ground rematerialized beneath them and the warp stream disappeared, revealing the beach house in front of them.

Crystal stepped off the warp pad, her gaze slowly sweeping around the room. She stepped off the pad, made it a few feet and just… stopped. Stood there. Steven could just wait anxiously as she looked every details over. Her mouth began to quiver.

“Co-- Crystal?” Steven asked.

Crystal blinked and said slowly, “It’s… it’s just…”

“Just how you remember?” Steven asked.

But Crystal gave no response. And before Steven could say anything more, Amethyst popped up from behind the kitchen island. “Hey, now. What's going on?” She looked at Steven, but her gaze was quickly carried over to the new, Pink stanger, who was now looking back at Amethyst in wide eyed amazement. “Whoa. Dude,” Amethyst said. “Don’t tell me ya…” She slashed a finger across her neck.

But before Steven could refute anything, as if perfectly timed, he heard the Temple door opened behind him. Steven turned and saw Pearl and Garnet walk out, arm in arm, and Pearl wiping the corner of her eye. “Oh, Steven,” she said, but like Amethyst, Crystal captured her attention almost immediately. “I… Uh…” She tripped over her words.

The Crystal Gems’ entrance had finally been enough to break Crystal’s attention away from the beach house. Her eyes were still wide, but her lips were pressed together tightly, yet not so tightly that they didn’t manage to tremble as she looked at the three of them.

“C-Connie?” Pearl asked, her voice stumbling a little as if she didn’t believe what she was seeing in front of her.

Crystal’s mouth opened before wordlessly closing. “Woah,” Amethyst said, climbing onto the kitchen island. “You’re right. That _is_ Connie. But like, bigger. And pinker.”

“Like the donut boy,” Garnet intoned, before adding, “Former donut boy.”

“But… that wouldn’t explain her being bigger,” Pearl said. Her expression was skeptical. “And presumably older.”

Garnet turned and looked over at Steven. “Steven.”

He shook his head vigorously. “No! I-I didn’t do anything. I was just-” he slipped off his backpack and let it drop against one of the kitchen chairs. “-I was just going to take some stuff to Lars. But when I got into Lion’s mane… there was another tree. Hers.” He pointed at Crystal, who was still silently gaping at them.

“Yeah, I saw him head out earlier,” Amethyst confirmed. “And this is the first I’ve seen of him since then.”

Pearl’s brow dropped in consideration. “Then _who_ is this? And why do they look like Connie?”

“Because-” It was Crystal, finally breaking her silence around the Gems. “Because-- you do know me now, as… Connie.” She spoke heavily and slowly, as if she were having to physically lift her words above herself to say them.

“‘We know you now as Connie’,” Garnet repeated back at Crystal. “You’re suggesting…”

Crystal nodded. “I’m not suggesting anything.” She placed a hand on her chest and closed her eyes, her other hand flexing into a fist before relaxing. “My name is Crystal,” she said. “And… I’m the last Crystal Gem from my time.”

The words seemed to echo and reverberate around the house, filling Steven with an intense feeling of dread and worry.

“The last… Crystal Gem…” he said haltingly. “But… but how?”

Crystal spoke, “First thing’s first.” She walked over to Garnet and Pearl and reached into her pocket, the sheathed sword at her side clattering against her leg. She withdrew something, clutched into her fist, and presented it. “Garnet. You do with this whatever you think you should.” She opened her hand to reveal the Hourglass.

Missing just a beat, Garnet took it, bubbled it and sent it away with a single tap. “Okay,” she said. “Now. Start from the beginning.”

Crystal closed her eyes and reopened them. “My name is Crystal,” she said again.

“Or Connie,” Pearl interjected. “As we know you.”

Crystal didn’t respond directly, instead continuing, “I come from… twenty-two? Twenty-three? I can’t remember exactly.” She shook her head. “I come from twentyish years in the future,” she explained. “And…” she trailed off.

Steven shifted from one foot to the other. Crystal looked away and he could see the glisten of tears in the corners of her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a quiet gasp.

Steven took a step forward, “It’s okay, Crystal,” he said, in the most assured and calm voice he could manage. “We- we want to help. So you can tell us what you want. Right guys?”

The Gems didn’t say anything. There expressions were all variations of concerned, cool and expectant, with little room for reassurance.

But whether it was Steven’s words or just her own will, Crystal gathered and steadied herself regardless. “Thank you, Steven,” she said, that familiar, friendly tone creeping back into her voice.

Crystal took a deep breath and began again, “I come from the future,” she said. “And… in about ten years, Homeworld is going to start its second war for Earth.”

“ _What_ ,” Pearl gasped, her voice a breathy whisper. “You-- you mean-”

Crystal nodded. “Not a single squad of Rubies, or a lone Peridot or Jasper to complete a single mission. An army, and the supplies needed to back them.”

“War,” Garnet spoke.

“Yes. But we fought. We fought against Homeworld’s forces.”

“ _How_?” Amethyst shot from her perch in the kitchen. “What are-- what? The six of us? --gonna do against an army?”

“Better than you might think,” Crystal said. “We used guerilla tactics, but we made progress. And soon we weren’t alone. We gained allies, Gems who were inspired and willing to fight for a better life. By then, we were even gaining ground on Homeworld.”

Crystal looked almost happy as she spoke this last part, at least as close to happy as Steven had seen, since meeting her a short time before. But, that almost-happiness didn’t last with Garnet’s next statement.

“But it didn’t last,” Garnet said. “That’s why you are here.”

Crystal’s expression dropped and she bit her lower lip before answering quitely, “Yeah. It didn’t.”

“What happened?” Pearl asked, fiddling with one of the legs of her bow.

“Something… something that we could never have planned for, that we never could have expected.” Crystal spoke carefully, as if afraid she were to miss a word.

“And… what was that?” Steven asked.

Crystal looked at him, her expression a nearly unreadable mix of grief and staved-off despair. She looked back at Garnet and Pearl, though most of her focus seemed to be on Pearl.

“What spelled the end for our war effort,” Crystal said, “was Pink Diamond returning to reclaim her colony. And she did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this one before I probably should, since chapter 2 is still a heavy work in progress and life has just been super busy. But rest assured that chapter 2 (and hopefully many chapters after that) are incoming and I'll try my best to get it out as soon as possible.
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy.


	2. The Pink Messanger [Pt2]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING** : Contains major spoilers for 'A Single Pale Rose'.

_Pink Diamond came_ _**back** _ _?_

Steven could feel each breath he took. He could feel his heart hammering between his ears and could feel his legs begin to tremble underneath him. He gripped his shirt, feeling the smooth facets of his gem underneath and felt he mouth begin to shake.

“That’s _not_ possible,” Garnet spoke, her voice hard and unflinching. She stepped past Pearl, who’s eyes had grown wide with distraught and was covering her mouth with one hand. “Pink Diamond is gone.” Garnet paused a moment, her head making the smallest of movements towards Steven. He knew that she was looking at him. “One way or another,” Garnet continued, “she is _gone_.”

But Crystal’s expression had barely changed with the new wave of emotion that had swept through the room. It was the the same mix of grief and despair but now… almost tempered with a certain weariness. As if this wasn’t anything new for her.

Steven shook his head. It _wasn’t_ anything new to her, she was the one telling them about it. But with the dull way she was reacting now, how long had she been holding on to this?

“Yes, Pink Diamond is gone,” Crystal said. “But she also isn’t.”

Crystal looked at Steven, who flinched back underneath her gaze. He gripped his hands into fists, trying to physically prepare himself for what came next.

“Her _memories_ , Rose’s… and Pink Diamond’s. They still exist, within Steven’s gem.” Her expression twitched and flickered, her voice easing slightly with her next words, “I remember experiencing them. On that moon.”

“The jungle moon!” Steven gasped. “That’s- that’s right… I-- I mean, Stevonnie saw… Mom’s memories.”

“Wait, _whaaat_? How’s that even possible?” Amethyst asked, scratching the back of her head and now standing on top of the kitchen island.

“Steven’s dream powers,” Pearl answered softly, her hands beginning to loosen over her mouth, but still lingering in place. “He told me, and… realizing he could see her memories and… I knew that it would be only be a matter of time before he asked a question I couldn’t answer.”

Crystal nodded, her expression softing as she looked at Pearl sympathetically. “I don’t know for sure whether re-living the memories stored in his gem is something Steven can do himself, or if it took a fusion to do it, but… yes, it’s true. Traces of Rose Quartz, and Pink Diamond, remain.”

“Still. It doesn’t _matter_.” Garnet’s voice was raising in volume, her normally calm expression growing tighter. “Memories-- a mind-- are only one part of person.”

Steven felt his mouth open and shut several times in close succession as he tried in vain to speak. He felt a great wave of… nearly indistinguishable emotion swell up inside of him. There was fear, but also more. Sadness, tinged with… something else.

He swallowed, gathering his will and said as steadily as he could, “Are- are _all_ of Mom’s memories in me?”

Crystal slowly turned to him, her expression still tight and determined, but her eyes seemed softer now as she regarded his fidgeting self.

“I don’t know for sure,” she admitted. “Steven-- from my time-- never had any more dreams of Rose Quartzes memories. But based on what I saw, how- _she_ acted…” Crystal’s hands flexed into fists, before quickly relaxing. “Even if wasn’t a full set of memories, it was enough to at least work as a base.”

Steven nodded quietly.

A hush had come across the room, save for the sound of the gulls calling from outside. The Gems all stood rigidly silent, each of them eying Crystal closely. It wasn’t mistrust so much as… they were trying to prepare themselves for what came next, especially Pearl, whose hands still rested against her mouth. With a lurch in his stomach, Steven wondered if she even _could_ say anything right now…

Steven, meanwhile was still holding onto his shirt and through it, his gem. His heart was still pounding desperately in his chest and his legs still felt like they were going to give out beneath him. He did his best to prepared himself as well.

Garnet was the one to finally break the silence, with a single, flat question. “How did it happen?”

Crystal hesitated a moment, her eyes darting to Steven before quickly returning to Garnet. “Maybe,” she said slowly, “it would be best if… the adults talked about this first.”

Steven opened his mouth to protest, to say that he could handle whatever it was (even if he did feel like he was going to collapse), but Garnet was quicker, and her answer was sharp. “No. We are _through_ with secrets. Of any kind. You tell _all_ of us.”

Relief surged through Steven. _Thanks. Thanks, Garnet._

For a moment, Crystal looked as she were going to protest, but she must have realized she was already beaten. Steven looked over at Garnet. The Crystal Gem’s leader was still facing Crystal and Steven thought he could see the flicker of a intense, familiar fire from behind her shades.

… but the Connie he knew never would have tried to keep something from him. Never have acted like he was ‘just a kid’.

Crystal shifted under Garnet’s heavy gaze. She took a deep, but quiet breath before she began the next leg of her story.

“After Homeworld attacked, it was just the six of us,” she said. “But we _did_ gain allies. There was-- probably _is_ currently, a new rebellion growing on Homeworld and its colonies. This one being spearheaded by- well, by Pearls. It is, or will eventually, even be called the Pearl Rebellion.”

“The… Pearl rebellion…” Pearl said, finally managing to completely remove her hands from her mouth.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Crystal said, a small _smile_ actually appearing on her face. “And, Pearl. _You_ inspired them. Tales of the Fearsome Renegade Pearl, who fought for her freedom with a sword held in each hand, that was the ember that started this new rebellion.”

Blue blush crept into Pearl’s cheeks as she opened her mouth to speak several times, but no words came out. Instead she reached over to Garnet’s hand and squeezed it, Garnet reciprocating.

“When Homeworld began their charge against Earth, the Pearl Rebellion sent their own forces as well, to try and back-up the old rebels that were rumored to still be here.” Crystal laughed. “It was a bit of a surprise to them when they saw you were still here Pearl. There was… a lot of fawning.”

Crystal continued, “Together, we made good progress, taking key locations from Homeworld and denying them many footholds. But…” Crystal’s expression dropped suddenly, what liveliness had been there quickly draining away. “Something happened that… changed everything.” She shifted from foot to foot, her hand moving to the hilt of her sword, though not grasping it. Instead just resting against it. “Pearl, you’re aware of the Diamonds’ powers, right?”

Pearl blinked. “What do you mean exactly?”

“That each Diamond embodies one… part of an essence, for lack of a better word,” Crystal said. “Yellow Diamond embodies form; her powers are designed to erase a person’s physical presence. Blue Diamond embodies emotions; her powers harnessing, suppressing, and amplifying her emotions and others’. And White Diamond-”

“-embodies mind,” Pearl finished for her, Pearl's eyes widening at the thought. She slowly shook her head. “No… You can’t be suggesting what-” Her hands covered her mouth again, though not in the same way of her compulsion. With her trembling jaw and the corners of her eyes began to glisten, it was clear Pearl was trying her best to keep her composure.

Crystal just nodded grimly. “They-- the Diamonds-- captured Steven,” she said, her voice sounding as if she were using as much of strength as she could to speak steadily. “Once they had him, White Diamond unleashed the full force of her mental powers. She-” Her voice caught, but she continued. “She suppressed Steven-- who he truly was-- and brought back out the dormant memories in his gem And… Pink Diamond was reborn.”

Steven felt his breath hitch in his throat. “I…” He felt as if he had to force out each word. “I’m… dead?”

“...Yes. More or less,” Crystal said. “With your memories and personality suppressed and Pink Diamond’s brought out…” Crystal’s gaze wavered as she turned and faced away from them. “Steven was gone,” she said quietly, almost to the point where Steven couldn’t hear her.

“No… No, no _no_.” Pearl was shaking her head. She ran a hand through her hair before she began to fidget with her fingers. “Even if-- Even if Steven _was_ \-- if he became-- ! Rose- She wasn’t perfect. Yes. But she still fought for the Earth!” Pearl thrust her hands down to her side. “She wasn’t perfect, but she never would have sided with the Diamonds.”

“I never met Rose, of course,” Crystal said. “But I swear to you what I’m saying it true.” She paused as her expression grew distant and she looked away from them. “She knew who we were. She _knew_ things, things only Steven or Rose Quartz could have known. She led almost every attack directly against us. And… the look on her face every time she fought one of us, the way she would viciously attack anyone in this room right now… She was _enjoying_ what she was doing.”

“Then that wasn’t her,” Pearl said. “Whatever… memories they might have delved up, they must have done more to her. Because Rose would never take such pleasure in fighting _anyone_.”

Crystal sighed. “Yes, that’s fair Pearl.” She shrugged. “White Diamond probably did add… something more to this new Pink Diamond. But… in the end it doesn’t matter. A Diamond was born, and she wanted Earth for her Court. And was willing to kill and shatter anyone in her way.”

Again silence blanketed all of them, but this time it barely had time to settle before Amethyst stomped her foot and loudly proclaimed, “Alright. Then where’s she at?”

Everyone turned to look at Amethyst, who was still standing on top of the kitchen island. She sneered and pounded her fist into her open palm with an audible ‘thrack’. “Where’s White Diamond? ‘Cause if she wants to cross us? I say we cross her _first_.”

Steven blinked, unsure how to respond exactly, but Pearl spoke for him, “ _Amethyst_ ,” her voice was still a little shaky. “We can’t just- go to Homeworld and challenge the Diamonds to a fight.”

“Why not? They’re always sending chumps to Earth. I say we change things up for once.”

Pearl sighed and held the bridge of her nose, but Crystal actually laughed. Not a small, hollow sounding life either, but a loud belly laugh. She covered her mouth, looking back at them. It took her several seconds before she was able to regain herself.

“I’m sorry,” she said, still stifling the last of her laughs. “But…” she trailed off, folding her arms over her stomach, her smile fading just a little. “It’s just been a long time since I talked to any of you. And-” she shrugged. “It feels good that you’re _exactly how_ I remember you.”

She looked so, so-- so sad and happy at the same time, and so much like Connie, that Steven wanted to just run over, and wrap her in the biggest hug he could. But he didn’t. He couldn’t.

Instead, after a long moment passed, Pearl was the one who stepped forward.

Slowly, hesitating only a little, Pearl placed a gentle hand on Crystal’s shoulder, “Crystal, why don’t you take some time and… take a shower?” Pearl suggested, before smiling just slightly. “And maybe we can get you out of these clothes and into something a bit… cleaner? And maybe a little something to eat, if you’re feeling up to it?”

“Oh. Well, I don’t want to inconvenience-”

“Nonsense,” Pearl quickly replied. She missed a beat, as she regarded Crystal, before continuing, “You’ve told us a lot, Crystal. And there’s more we still need to discuss, but for now, I think it may be best if we all just rest.”

Crystal was silent for a few seconds, before responding simply, “You all just trust what I’ve said? Just like that?”

“You didn’t expect us to,” Garnet stated.

Crystal shook her head. “I wasn’t really thinking about _anything_ that would happen after I got the Hourglass. But as I was telling you all everything it… got pretty unbelievable.”

“No,” Garnet said shortly. “It’s very believable. That’s what makes it… troubling.”

Pearl turned from the group, looking over at Amethyst, who was hopping down from her perch. “You still have those clothes Greg gave you from his storage unit right?”

“Yeah. Don’t even think I’ve gotten ‘em in rotation on any of the piles yet,” Amethyst answered. “So they should be nice and fresh.”

“Yes. Well. I’ll still put them through a quick wash.” Pearl patted Crystal’s arm. “While you’re having your shower.”

Crystal sighed, before relenting, “Well… it _is_ starting to get late, I suppose,” she conceded, before displaying an embarrassed smile. “And honestly, a shower _would_ probably feel good right now.”

Steven glanced out a window, and was surprised by how late it actually was. The sun was already resting on top of the horizon, the sky and sea reflecting its brilliant orange light. The afternoon had flown by and he’d barely even noticed.

“Yeah,” Amethyst added. “And if ya gonna get a shower, now’s the time. Peri’s still not back from… whatever that project she’s working on is. Though, you’ll probably still need to move some of her stuff from the tub.”

Crystal laughed lightly and Pearl said, “Come on, Amethyst.” She motioned towards Amethyst and began walking to the Temple’s door. “Let's see if we can find something for Crystal to wear. Hopefully you still remember wear Greg's old clothes are…”

“Hey! I toldja before, P,” Amethyst said, jogging after Pearl. “I know where everything in my room is.”

Amethyst rushed past Pearl and flashed her gem to the door, which split and opened itself. They both entered, Pearl's comment about the mess that is Amethyst’s room echoing back into the beach house before the door closed.

Garnet spoke next, her voice flat and even, “I'll prepare the bathroom. By moving Peridot’s possessions.”

“Okay,” Crystal said. “Thank you Garnet.”

Garnet nodded curtly, before turning and heading into the bathroom, leaving Crystal and Steven alone together.

Steven frowned and looked at his feet. He still felt like he was processing everything that Crystal had said. About the future and… what happened to him. His stomach churned. Was that still waiting for him? The Diamonds must have found out the truth about what happened to Pink Diamond. So did they already know? He had stood in front of two of them before and they didn’t _seem_ to know. But if they did… did that mean it was already too late to try and stop any of this?

“Crystal?” The nervous nausea Steven felt spiked at he spoke. “What- How did they- I mean-” Steven clenched his jaw as he thought, for one single moment, that he was going to be sick.

“Hey, easy,” Crystal spoke, crouching down onto her knees so that she was almost face level with him. “Take some breaths. Deep ones.” Crystal demonstrated, taking a breath and holding it for a moment, before slowly releasing it. She then cupped her hands together, letting the tips of her thumbs rest against each other. She smiled, “Just like you’ve practiced, right?”

Steven let out a small, only slightly pained, laugh. He copied Crystal, cupping his hands and taking a deep breath, before releasing it. He did that a few times in a row, each one coming and going a bit easier.

“Feeling a little better?” Crystal asked.

“Yeah,” Steven replied. It wasn’t really a lie-- he at least didn’t feel like he was going to be ill anymore. But even with that, he still didn’t feel great. And beyond just… everything that Crystal had told them, it was hard to pin down any exact detail he was bothering him. Not that an exact detail was needed to feel terrible over.

He gripped his shirt again, and through it, his gem.

He closed his eyes, but it was only a moment before he felt another warm hand against his his own. He opened his eyes and Crystal squeezed gently.

“I… I’m pretty sure I know what you’re thinking,” she said.

“You do?”

“Well,” Crystal said, “I’ve known you for fifteen years now. And that’s about how long you’ve known yourself. So…” She smirked, before falling back off her knees and onto her butt. Steven followed suit, sitting down across from her.

She sighed and rubbed the side of her neck. The side with the burn scars. Steven wondered briefly if they hurt.

“Are you scared now, Steven?” Crystal asked.

“A little,” he answered. “But… I don’t know. I guess I feel…”

“Guilty.”

The word, and the recognition for what had been creeping on the edge of his mind, hit him sharply and his eyes stung as he wiped them dry. “If- If it’s that easy to just bring Pink Diamond back- to turn _me_ into a Diamond-”

“Everything I have described to you,” Crystal cut in, “won’t happen. That’s why I’m here. To make sure of that.”

“But it already _has_ happened!” Steven countered. “It has to you! And- even if we do everything right and stop it now… _that_ won’t change.”

Steven looked down at his lap, wiping his eyes again and stifling a sniffle.

“You’re right, of course,” Crystal said softly. “Nothing we do here can change what’s already happened to me. But… I’m fine, Steven,” she said, looking over at him a giving him a small, but warm smile. “It’s been a long fight, and it’s not over yet, but… now my fight can actually mean something again. You don’t need to worry about me,” she said. “I’m fine. _We_ just need to make sure that what’s happened to me never happens to anyone else. Okay?”

Steven nodded silently, looking down at the floor and trying, _trying_ , to take what Crystal was saying to heart.

But as hard as he tried, it wasn’t really working.

* * *

The shower had ended up feeling much better than Crystal had anticipated. It had been a long time, she knew, since she’d had a shower (or hot water at all), and while she had expected a certain amount of relief, after the most of the dirt and grime had been scrubbed off her body, she hadn’t expected to just sit down and lean back as best she could in the small tub, letting the warm water continue to wash over her. Watching it dirty and then vanish down the drain.

It was relaxing, feeling the heat of the water enter her body and warm her to the core. She was considering seeing if she could find a stopper and turn this shower into a bath.

But she knew she was taking too long, as it was. The water coming out of the shower head was already starting to cool and she didn’t want to use up all the hot water. So with some reluctance, she stood back up and turned the water off. Now, wrapped in a towel and no doubt sparkling from her cleanliness, she walked over to the sink. The clothes Pearl had promised were there, Crystal’s cheeks flaring from more than just the bathroom’s heat as she remembered Pearl very loudly knocking and announcing herself before leaving the clothes.

It was almost refreshing, in a way. A sense that her memories weren’t warped or faded with time, but that she really did remember Pearl acting like that. Like… a mother hen looking after her chicks.

Crystal chuckled at the thought.

The clothes meanwhile weren’t anything too special. A basic grey t-shirt and a pair of nondescript pants, both of which were several sizes too big for her. Luckily, Pearl had included a belt with the new clothes.

Crystal set the clothes back down, making a move to remove her towel- when she blinked.

… _You ran away._

Her throat tightening, Crystal’s mouth snapping against the accusation, but no words came out.

_Running away, just like always. And always from those who need you._

“Shut up… Shut up…”

 _First from Rosie because you couldn’t bury your guilt, and then from Steven because you were too weak, too_ stupid _to help_.

“Shut up. Shut up!”

_Makes sense though, running away. After all, who could possibly love a husk, a corpse, like you?_

“SHUT UP!”

There was a crash and all at once, Crystal’s senses returned to her.

She gasped quietly as she felt her outstretched arm and winced at the broken glass of the mirror that dug into her fist. She quickly pulled it back, stifling a cry, both at the pain shooting through her hand and at the blood that was on her knuckles. Not to mention speckled across the fractured mirror.

“Damn it, damn it… so stupid…”

She couldn’t believe she’d let it get to her _again_.

It wasn’t true. She’d told herself that so many times, laid out the evidence and the proof that what she did, what she was _doing_ , was the smart move. And she believed all of it.

Until she didn’t.

There were footsteps, followed by a knock at the bathroom door. “Crystal!” Steven called. “Is everything okay? We heard a crash.”

Crystal gritted her teeth and swallowed back the stinging pain in her hand, answering, “Yeah, everything is fine.”

A beat of silence. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m fine, Steven. Really. Just fine.”


	3. What Comes Next

Pearl walked through the door, the Temple’s portal swiftly closing behind her. She let out a huge sigh. Amethyst and Garnet looked up expectedly, sitting on the edge of pool of water that made up the center of Pearl’s room.

“He’s asleep,” Pearl confirmed. “I turned off his phone and he didn’t stir at all.”

“And Con-Crystal was still out there?” Amethyst asked.

“Yes,” Pearl said. “She’s laying on the couch. Steven made her a spot with some of the extra pillows and blankets from the closet.” She paused and added, “He gave her a teddy bear.”

“Hm. Didn’t need Future Vision to see that,” Garnet stated.

“Course ya didn’t,” Amethyst shrugged. “She’s still technically Connie, right? And we _know_ how he feels about her.”

Pearl smiled to herself. In truth, she doubted that Crystal ‘technically being Connie’ had much to do with Steven’s actions. He simply wanted to help her, just as he did with everyone he met. It was in his nature.

‘ _Just like Rose_ ’ Pearl’s mind threatened to offer, but she clamped down hard on that thought. Pearl had been doing her best not to think about Rose lately, for her own well-being, but… also Steven’s, and Amethyst’s and Garnet’s.

It was likely very obvious to everyone around her these days when her thoughts _did_ stray towards Rose…

Pearl walked over to the edge of the water and sat down next to the two of them. The trio were quiet for a while, the only sound coming from the flowing water in the center of the pool.

Amethyst spoke first, asking the question that needed to be asked, but that Pearl still had little idea how to answer: “So, what do we do now?”

More silence answered her, so Amethyst continued, “I still say we go to Homeworld and start cracking heads together.”

Pearl suppressed a sigh. “We can’t just do _that_ , Amethyst.”

“Why not?”

“Well, to start off, we don’t have any way to _get_ to Homeworld.”

“Not yet,” Amethyst said. “But Steven says his pink friend-- er, other pink friend-- is gonna get to Earth soon.” She shrugged. “When he does, we take his ship.”

“Alright,” Pearl huffed. “Even if we do that, and even _if_ we manage to land the ship on Homeworld without being instantly destroyed, _getting_ to any of the Diamonds would be nearly impossible. Let alone to White Diamond.”

Garnet drummed her fingers against her leg. “Perhaps a longer term infiltration. If we could somehow manage to slip into roles unnoticed, we could bide our time and wait.”

“Garnet! _Please_ tell me you joking.”

Garnet looked up at Pearl, her expression its usual seriousness. “I am merely considering all our options,” she answered. “The thought of waiting here, for ten years, all so Homeworld can strike us first… does not appeal.”

“I know, I know,” Pearl said, finally letting go of the sigh she’d been holding. “But surely running into a plan without thinking it out all the way isn’t a good idea either?”

Garnet missed a beat, before responding, “No. It isn’t.”

“Alright then, P,” Amethyst threw back. “Then what are your ideas?”

“I’m… still considering.”

Amethyst fell onto her back, letting part of her hair fall into the fountain behind her. “Course you are.”

Another few moments of silence, and Pearl suggested, “Perhaps we should bring Crystal into this talk? She’s told us what’s happened in the future, but maybe she can offer some more specifics. Sites Homeworld attacked, tactics they used, the composition of their troops…”

“It couldn’t hurt,” Amethyst said.

“Agreed. That’s a good idea, Pearl,” Garnet nodded at her. “In fact…” She spoke as if she had more to say, but instead she trailed off into silence.

“‘In fact’ what, Garnet?” Pearl asked.

“I was considering something,” she said. “Everyone should be included in this meeting. Crystal, Peridot, Steven, even Connie. Everyone. They’re all Crystal Gems. And they should all be present.”

Pearl’s first instinct was to disagree, to say that at the very least they could figure this out without needing to involve Steven and Connie. But… Crystal herself had attempted to get Steven out of the room before speaking. She hadn’t wanted him involved-- but Garnet had shot it down with a fierce bluntness Pearl had rarely seen.

And Garnet was right, of course. There had been too many secrets. And there had been for far too long. They couldn’t just… repeat Rose’s mistakes.

“Yes, I agree,” Pearl said, at length. “Everyone should be present for this gathering.” Garnet nodded slowly in response, but didn't say anything. She was facing towards Pearl, but she could tell Garnet was looking past her, despite Garnet’s sunglasses. She asked, “Is there something else, Garnet?”

“No… Mm, Perhaps. It’s something else I have been considering, since the truth came out,” Garnet said slowly. Pearl didn’t need for Garnet to specify _what_ truth, exactly. It was obvious. Even Amethyst sat back up as Garnet continued, “Rose passed leadership of the Crystal Gems to me,” she continued. “But now, I question her judgement.”

“In making you our leader?” Pearl asked.

Garnet hesitated. “Of many things. But yes.”

Amethyst blew a raspberry in response. “C’mon, Garnet. Ya _know_ that’s crazy, right? You’ve been leader for years now. And you’ve never steered us wrong.”

“Amethyst is right,” Pearl agreed. “Rose… wasn’t perfect, in many ways. But appointing you as our leader was one of the decisions she definitely got right.”

“Yeah, dude,” Amethyst chimed in. “And ya know, few times when _we_ do get lost, ya always get us back on straight,” she added with a cheeky grin.

“I thought you said I never steered you wrong,” said Garnet, frowning.

“Yeah. Well…” Amethyst stuck out her tongue.

For a moment, Garnet’s face was stone, until a small smile crept across it. “Thank you. Both of you.”

More silence, though this time it only lasted a second, before Amethyst spoke, “So, okay. Since this meeting is gonna include everyone now, we're gonna need to grab Bismuth.”

“Of course,” Garnet answered quickly.

However, Pearl just felt a twinge inside of her. Her mind wandered back to the day, the day before Ruby and Sapphire's wedding, that they had entered the beach house and there Bismuth had been. Just standing there with a small, unsure smile on her face.

The days following the wedding had been so nice and relaxing; just having Bismuth around again felt  _amazing_. Hearing her laugh and feeling her hand on Pearl's shoulder again as she drew Pearl close to her... It was nice, to just have some quite time to talk and catch up and get just a small, pure part of the past back.

But Bismuth rarely rested for long, as anyone who knew her well could attest. So just a few days later she said she was going to start exploring Earth, seeing what had changed and what was still the same and also, she said, seeing what kind of things humans had managed to build in the time since she was bubbled. That had only been a couple days ago and she'd already stopped by the Temple since then, but... Pearl would be lying if she didn't say she had hoped Bismuth would stay  _with_ them longer before going off onto her next project. 

“Bismuth is still a Crystal Gem,” Pearl said. “She should know about this.”

“Agreed,” Garnet said. “There are a few places we can look for her. And if she’s not there-” The lighting of the room caught Garnet’s sunglasses, causing them to shine shades of red and blue “-I can track her down.”

“Good, good,” Pearl said. “Hopefully we can find her quickly. The sooner we have this meeting, the better, I think.”

“Yeah, for sure,” Amethyst said. “Sooner we can stop that future from ever _happening_ , the better. Last thing we need is another war. ‘Specially since Crystal made the outcome sound pretty bleak.”

Pearl didn’t say anything in response, Garnet speaking instead, “Don’t worry. No matter what, we’ll get through this.” She looked over at Pearl. “We’ve weathered worse.”

Pearl smiled as best she could, but…

What Crystal had told them had been… horrifying. Even though she had given fairly few specific details, details weren’t really needed. It was written all over her, how terrible and how far she had run from whatever had been in her time.

It reminded Pearl, more than a little--and much more than was comfortable-- of those years just after the Rebellion. When it had just been the three of them, Rose, Pearl, and Garnet. They had wandered across the planet, trying in vain to find see that they _weren’t_ the only ones left in the aftermath. But everywhere they had gone it was the same. Their friends and enemies alike twisted into monstrous forms that barely recognised anything around them, wreaked mindless destruction among the ruined battlefields, shattered shields and snapped swords….

Those had been dark times, but they had weathered them.

Crystal could too.

Pearl glanced over at Amethyst. Had she moved closer? Or had Pearl moved closer to Amethyst? She wasn’t sure. But regardless, Pearl put a hand around Amethyst’s shoulder and Amethyst scooted closer to Pearl, silently.

Finding Amethyst had truly been the turning point for all of them. Finding that this small, newly emerged Gem among the Kindergarten’s desolation. The first new life after so much destruction. That had been the page closing on their life during the war, opening with them living in its aftermath.

But now it felt like that book too, was closing. Another page was turning, a prologue to yet another war.

They stayed there for a while in Pearl’s room, listening to the soft splash of water in the pool. Just sitting together, each lost in their own thoughts. It wasn’t a happy time, Pearl suspected all of them could still barely put together many concrete ideas about what exactly laid ahead. But it was still comfortable, in a way. Each of their presence reassuring one another.

But after a time, Pearl got up without a word, Garnet and Amethyst following suit. The door out of her room opened at their approach and they stepped through, leaving the brightness Pearl’s room behind and entering the dimness beach house.

It didn’t take long to notice something was amiss. The couch was still spread with pillows and blankets, as well as one of Steven’s stuffed bears. But Crystal was no longer there. A quick scan of the house revealed that she wasn’t anywhere inside.

The three of them exchanged a look and Pearl hurriedly, but quietly, padded up the stairs to Steven’s loft. He was still there, thankfully. Still asleep, just as Pearl had left him. But Crystal was still nowhere in sight.

Pearl came back down the stairs, Garnet and Amethyst still waiting for her. As she rejoined them, there was a noise outside, on the porch. A scraping sound against the wood floor.

That had to be Crystal.

Their suspicious was proven right as they pushed open the screen door and rushed into the cool night. This far from town, the only light came from the moon shining brightly above. Crystal sat at the patio table, tucked into the shadow offered by its umbrella. Pearl noticed her hand shoot forward to grab something lying on the table-- only to immediately relax.

“Oh. You guys,” Crystal said, just a hair tersely.

The Gems drew closer, and Pearl saw what Crystal had been reaching for: her sheathed sword.

Pearl smiled easily at her. “Shouldn’t you be trying to get some sleep, Crystal? Humans require a full eight hours daily.”

It was difficult to tell, given the limited lighting, but Pearl thought she could see just a bit of color enter Crystal’s cheeks. “I tried,” she said. “But, well… Being pink means I don’t really get tired.”

“Lion sleeps all the time,” Amethyst said.

“So do you,” Crystal countered. “And _you_ don’t need to sleep.”

Amethyst laughed, and Garnet spoke, “You don’t get sleepy. But you do get tired.”

Crystal was silent for a beat. “That’s… apt,” she said.

“Then why aren’t you trying to get some rest?” Pearl asked.

Crystal didn’t answer, only glowering down at the floor. But then, she didn’t _need_ to answer. Not really. Because Pearl already knew. Despite how far she had already ran, despite running farther than then even Pearl had run from Homeworld… Crystal didn’t feel safe.

It was a feeling Pearl knew well. Feeling like you couldn’t close your eyes for a moment, even on a calm night like this. Because that’s what _they_ were waiting for. If the hunted lost focus for even a second, the hunter would strike.

That’s why Crystal was on a watch no one had asked her to do, in the middle of a peaceful night, her sword still at her side.

“Well then,” Pearl began as she walked over to Crystal’s other side, “would you mind if we sat with you?” Without waiting for an answer, Pearl took a seat directly next to her.

“I- well, I mean-” Crystal stumbled around. “If you guys have something you need to do…”

“Nah, dude,” Amethyst said, her form glowing and shrinking revealing herself, now shaped like a purple cat.“Sometimes ya just gotta take some time to chill, ya know?” She gracefully leapt onto the table and settled into the crevice between Pearl and Crystal.

“Yes,” Garnet added simply, pulling up another chair next to them and sitting down. The plastic groaned under her weight. “Just some time together as-” just the slightest hesitation”-friends.”

Crystal was silent in response and Pearl reached over and put her hand on top of Crystal’s own. She didn’t startle, instead turning towards Pearl, a look of almost _wonderment_ in her eyes. Of course she wouldn’t have. From Crystal’s perspective, they had known each other for decades. Very long, for a human.

Pearl just smiled and lightly squeezed her hand.

Pearl saw Crystal's expression twitch, her lips tremble, before she gave Pearl her own shaky smile and squeezed Pearl’s hand back.

Silently, between the two of them, they had exchanged something. A reassurance to each other, one they both knew, even though no words had been said.

That they had weathered dark times, and they would weather this.


	4. Catching Up

Steven’s eyes fluttered as the the early morning light shined through the loft’s window. It seemed brighter than usual. He must have slept in later than he usually did.

He threw his cover off and sat up before swinging his legs over the side of the bed and hopping out. He yawned and stretched and before his mind had even completely caught up to the present out of it’s sleepy dregs, he heard a voice call him.

“Morning, Steven.”

The unfamiliar voice made him jump slightly before remembering who it was. He began walking down the steps from the loft and looked over at the couch, where Crystal was sitting, a cup in her hand and the sleeping supplies Steven had laid out the night before folded neatly at the other end of the couch.

Steven stepped off the last the step of the stairs, giving Crystal a small wave. “Morning, Crystal.” He yawned, covering his mouth as he did. “How’d you sleep?”

Crystal raised her cup to her lips and sipped from it before answering, “Got some rest last night. You?”

“Felt like I slept for four _months_.”

He walked over to the refrigerator and opened it, grabbing the glass of icy cold cup of water he had placed there the night before. The cold water felt good against is sleep-parched lips and mouth, so much that he nearly emptied the glass.

As Steven was rinsing out and drying his glass, the door to the Temple opened and Pearl walked out, cradling a mirror in her arms. Though on closer look, it wasn’t just any mirror, but a cabinet mirror.

Now more awake, Steven was able to make the connection. No doubt that mirror was a replacement for the one that Crystal had accidentally broken last night.

“Ah, this should work nicely,” Pearl said, examining the mirror in her arms before noticing Steven standing by the kitchen island. “Oh, good morning, Steven,” she said. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah pretty good,” Steven answered. He nodded at the mirror. “For the bathroom?”

“It is,” Pearl said. “Had to do some digging in Amethyst’s room, but I luckily found this mirror that’s not even cracked.” She rolled her eyes slightly. “Miraculously…”

Crystal set her cup on the coffee table, before clearing her throat and awkwardly looking off to the side. “Uh, yeah. That’s good Pearl.” She laughed sheepishly. “Been so long, I forgot how slick a nice steamy shower can make the tile floor.”

Pearl set the mirror outside the bathroom door, for later installation, and Steven said, “It’s alright, Crystal. I’m just glad you didn’t hurt yourself.”

Crystal shifted in her seat, putting both her hands in her lap out of sight. “Yeah, agreed,” she said.

Steven walked over and sat down on the coffee table, as there wasn’t much room on the couch between Crystal and the folded blankets and pillows. He made sure we wasn’t in danger of knocking over Crystal’s glass before asking, “So, what do you have planned for today, Crystal?” He did his best to put on an easy smile. “Stop any Earthwide invasions?”

His comment and smile were rewarded by Crystal with a smile of her own. “Not yet,” she answered before sighing. “Honestly… I’m not really sure. I haven’t really been without an immediate goal for… years now. So I’m not really sure what there is _to_ do.”

Steven pursed his lips as Crystal reached over and grabbed her cup of tea, pausing a moment before taking a sip. She swallowed and smacked her lips. “Very good tea, Pearl. Thank you.”

Pearl however was tapping her chin. “Hmm… There is something I was thinking about last night, Crystal.”

“Yeah?”

Pearl nodded. “Do you know _when_ you are?”

Steven blinked. “When… she is? What do you mean Pearl?”

“It can be difficult to get an exact destination with the Hourglass,” Pearl explains. “Especially as you move further and further back. So I was just wondering if you knew when this was exactly, Crystal.”

Crystal sat her cup back down on the table. “Well, it is 2016, right? And judging by the weather, summer time?”

“Yeah, it is,” Steven said, before adding, “But do you remember anything that’s happened recently? I mean, I have trouble just remembering what’s happened two years ago on a specific date.”

Crystal closed her eyes in thought. “Hmm… A lot of things happened around this time I think?” She opened her eyes again and looked at Steven. “You all already know the truth about Rose. And Garnet’s together, so that means-” She stopped suddenly as her eyes grew wide. “Oh.”

Steven leaned forward in his seat. “Oh, what?”

“It’s after the wedding, isn’t it?” Crystal asked. “I missed the wedding.”

Despite the disappointment in Crystal’s voice, Steven still looked at her starry eyed. “You still remember Garnet’s wedding!”

Crystal blushed and coughed into her hand. “Well, it was a long time ago, at least for me. But I still remember most of the day.”

Pearl had joined them, sitting on the edge of the couch next to Crystal. Steven said, “That’s still great, though! Even after everything you still remember things like that.”

“I suppose so, yeah.” She took her cup and downed the last of the tea in it, before just cradling the cup in her hands as she spoke, “How long ago _was_ the wedding?”

“Oh, not long at all,” Pearl answered. “The wedding was just two days ago.”

“I see,” Crystal said. “Then based on how long I think I was in the Sea Shrine before Steven found me… I guess I actually came back _before_ the wedding, and was trapped in the Shrine during and after it…” She then quickly shook her head. “Sorry, sorry,” she said. “A bit of a… morbid thought for an otherwise beautiful day.”

“No, no. It’s okay, Crystal,” Steven said, leaning over and patting her knee. ”At least you were safe. And we did find you.”

Crystal offered a small. “Yeah, you did. Thankfully.”

“And if you need to,” Steven went on, “you can look at the photo album I’m making of the day. I’ve got pictures from before the wedding, when Ruby and Sapphire were giving their vows, even when everyone was dancing after the ceremony!”

Pearl laughed lightly, “Oh yes. I even took some of my own. Like at the end of the night, when I found you and Connie passed out together on the porch.”

Steven chuckled and felt his cheeks flush While Crystal smiled, she looked uncomfortably into her lap with her brow furrowing.

“At least you didn't get rained on again,” Steven offered.

Crystal blinked and looked at him. “Rained on?”

“Yeah,” Steven nodded, “at the wedding, remember? It started raining in the afternoon, so we all had to go inside until it stopped.”

But Crystal just looked oddly at him. “Right, right…” she said quietly.

Steven felt a pang go off in his gut as he grimaced down at the floor. He shouldn’t have brought up the wedding, or at the very least shouldn’t have said more about it after Crystal expressed disappointment about missing it…

He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw that Pearl was now over him. “Steven,” she said, “Why don’t you get ready for the day, and then you can help me in the kitchen, and we can make some breakfast for you and Crystal.”

“Oh, that’s a great idea, Pearl!” Steven said, hopping to his feet. Crystal hadn’t eaten that much last night, but surely she’d be hungry by now, even if she strictly didn’t _need_ to eat anymore.

That’s how he could help Crystal, at least a little. Resolve building up inside of him, Steven silently pledged that he would do everything he could for Crystal, for everything _she’d_ already gone through for them.

And for what his future self had put her through…

“I won’t be long,” he said as he rushed off to the bathroom, trying to decide if Crystal would prefer pancakes or waffles for breakfast Maybe he could text Connie and ask her…

* * *

 

As Steven closed the door to the bathroom, Pearl took only a few steps to the kitchen before Crystal was up on her feet, clearing her throat to get Pearl’s attention.

“Er, Pearl. A second?”

Pearl turned back and saw that Crystal had a very serious expression on her face. Granted, not one to dissimilar to what she wore most of the previous night, but still. There was something a little different about it now, a little more strained. And worried.

“Yes, Crystal?”

“What Steven said about the wedding, about you being rained on and him and Connie falling asleep on the porch? That… didn’t happen in my time.”

The corners of Pearl’s mouth twitched, jumping ahead and trying to ask a question before Pearl’s mind had even fully processed what Crystal said. “So… it didn’t rain,” said Pearl slowly. “And you nor Steven fell asleep?”

Crystal nodded. “What happened in my time was… rather different.” Pearl saw Crystal’s hand flex and press into fists, just for a moment, before she let them go and continued, “In my time, near the end of the wedding… Blue and Yellow Diamond attacked.”

Alarms rang in Pearl’s head and it must have been visible on her face, as Crystal quickly added, “They came alone, no army. Their goal was to try and awaken the Cluster.”

“W-what happened then?” Pearl asked, her voice feeling pinched as she got out the question. “Was everyone okay??”

“Yeah, we were able to stop them.” Crystal pursed her lips. “Or Steven was, anyway.”

“And after that?”

Crystal hesitated. “We went to Homeworld, with the Diamonds.”

“Steven too???” Pearl could feel herself getting frantic as she mentally chastised herself and began to try and force herself more calm.

Crystal nodded again. “Steven, myself, you, Amethyst, and Garnet.”

“Why? Were we… captured?”

“No. The Diamonds-- their powers, specifically-- were shown to be the key to curing the Corruption. Permanently. Steven went to Homeworld in an attempt to convince White Diamond to lend her power to healing all the Gem Monsters.”

Icy cold fingers gripped inside Pearl’s chest at the mention of that. Steven, trying to deal with White Diamond? _Anyone_ trying to deal with White Diamond was a terrifying thought, but Steven…

“And, it’s through all this,” Crystal went on, “that the Diamonds, White included, found out the truth about Pink Diamond. And that Steven had her gem.”

“And what happened? Were you all able to…?”

“Yeah. We got off Homeworld, all in one piece, more or less.” Crystal shut her eyes and sighed heavily. “But no doubt even then White Diamond was already coming up with her end goal for Steven. Of turning him into a new Diamond.”

“That- Oh, Crystal. That all happened when you were still so young,” Pearl said, her mind already filling up with horrible images of Steven and Connie trapped on Homeworld, trying to get away but never being able to fully shake their pursuers… She had wanted to save Steven from that. Save all of them.

Hopefully they still could.

She shook her head and Crystal responded, “It’s in the past. Or, to be more specific, it never happened now,” she said. “Whatever precisely caused this change, it’s good. The Diamonds not knowing the truth about Steven is a huge advantage. I doubt they’ll leave Earth alone, but they at least won’t be targeting him as one of their own.”

Pearl nodded slowly. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. Still. I wonder what exactly _caused_ this change.”

“The only guess I can give is the small butterfly effect of me coming back,” Crystal said. “Though what exactly was the catalyst, I don’t know.”

“What do butterflies have to do with anything?”

“It’s an expression, Pearl. A small change that builds up and has a huge impact.”

“Ah. Right,” Pearl said, growing silent as she processed everything that Crystal had told her. She tried to make guesses about what had caused the Diamonds to stay away and what they should do if they _did_ show up still-

“Okay!” Steven announced as he opened the bathroom door. Now dressed and his hair nicely combed he walked over to the two of them. “I think waffles would be the best, if you don’t mind using the waffle iron, Pearl.”

“Oh. No, not at all, Steven,” Pearl replied, hurriedly stuffing all her previous thoughts away for later. “Why don’t you get out everything we’ll need and I’ll get it out.”

“Right,” Steven said, before grabbing Crystal’s hand and bringing her over to the kitchen. “Can you help me, Crystal? I always have trouble reaching the powdered sugar.”

“Sure, sure Steven,” Crystal said, shooting Pearl a fleeting look over her shoulder. Pearl returned it, with a small smile, before Crystal’s attention was completely taken up with Steven opening the pantry and pointing out to Crystal what they need that he couldn’t easily reach.

Pearl sighed internally, her mind already doing the difficult shift of putting her heavy thoughts and worries aside, at least until Steven was fed and set off on his day, and same with Crystal. After they were taken care of, then Pearl could return to her room for some serious thinking.

For now, Pearl made her way to join Steven and Crystal in the kitchen, going over the recipe for waffle batter as she listed the the ingredients quietly under her breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the several month wait, but here we are. Picking up where we left off.


End file.
